Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-08-06
{CONTINUED.)
CHAPTER XVIII.
BrssIE IS PUT TO THE ouEsrIoN.

Meanwhile anOtnef Httie Tragedy was DelllS
enacted at the back of the house. After the
one eyed witch doctor Hendrix had knocked
Silas Croft down and assisted in the pleasing
operation of dragging him to the flagstaff, it
had occurred to his villainous heart that the
present would be good opportunity to profit
personally by the confusion, and possibly to
add to the Englshmans misfortunes by doing
him some injury on his own account. Ac-
cordingly, just before Frank Muller began TO
read the dispatch announcing the English
surrender, he slipped away into the house,
which was now totally deserted, to see what
he could steal Passing into the sitting room,
he annexed Bessie's gold watch and chain,
which was lying on the mantelpiece, present
that her uncle had made her on the Christmas
day before the last. Having pocketed this he
proceeded to the kitchen, where there was Il
goodly store of silver forks and spoons that
Bessie had been engaged in cleaning that
morning, lying on the dresser ready to be put
away These be also transferred, to the ex-
tent of several dozens, to the capacious peck
cts of the tattered military great coat that he
wore. While doing so he was much dis
turbed by the barking of the dog Stomp. the
same animal that had mauled him so severely
II few weeks before, and who was now, as it
happened. tied up in his kennel-an old wine
barrel-just outside the kitchen door. Hen
Dirk peeyed out of the window, and having
ascertained that the dog was secured pro
ceeded. with diabolical chuckle, to settle his
account with the poor animal He had left
his gun behind on the grass, but he still held
his usSegai in his hand, aud, going out of the
kitchen door with it, he showed himself with
IN few feet of the kennel The dog reeoS
nizcd him instantly, and went nearly mad
with fury, making the most desperate efforts
TO break Its chain and get at him. For some mo
ments he stood exciting the animal by derisive
GESTURES and pelting it with stones till at last,
fearing that the cIamor would attract atten-
ton. he suddenly tranStixed it with his spear,
and then thinking that he was quite unoh-
served, sat down and snuffed and enjoyed the
luxury of watching the poor beasts last ago
MES
But, as it happened, he was t'quite alone,
for, creeping along i'll the grass and rubbish
that grew on the further side of the wall, his
brown body squeezed tightly against the
brown stOneS-so tightly that an Impractical
eye would certainly have failed to observe it
at a distance of dozen paees-was the Hot
tentot Jantje. Occasionally. too, be would
lift his head above the level of the wall and
observe the proceedings of the one eyed man
Apparently he was undecided what to do, fol
he hesitated a little, and while he did so Hen
dirk killed the dog
Now Jamie had all Hottentots natural
love for ANIMALS, which is, generally speak
Ing, as marked as is the KafIir's callousnesS
toward them, and he was particularly fond
of the dog Stomp, which always went out
walking with him on those rare occasions
when he thought it safe or desirable to wall
like an ordinary man, instead of creeping
from bush to bush like a panther, or wrig
Cling through the grass like snake. Th'
sight of the animals death, therefore. raised
IN his black breast a very keen desire for ven
geance on the murderer, if vengeance coulc
he safely accomplished and he paused to re
fleet if this could be done As be did so Hen
dirk got up, gave the dead dog kick, with
drew his assegai from the carcass, and then
as though struck by a sudden desire to con
ceaI the murder. undid the collar, and. liftins
the dog i'll his arms, carried him with diff
Guilty into the house and laid him under TIN
kitchen table This done he came out again
to the wall. which was built of loose, unmor
tared stones pulled one out without trouble
de1osited the watch and the silver he haC
stolen i'll the cavity, and replaced the stone
Next. before Jantje could guess what b.
meant to do. he proceeded to make it practi
caIly impossible for his robbery to be diseov
cred, or, at any rate, very improbable, b.
lighting match, and, having first glance
round to see that nobody was looking reach
ing up and applying it to the thick thatcl
with which the house itself was rooted, an'
Of which the fringe Just here was not NOR
than nine feet from the ground. No rain ha'
fallen at MoOifontem for several days, ant
there had been hot sun and dry wind, and
as "A result the thatch was as dry as finder
The light caught IN a second, and in tw
more a thin line of fire was running up tn
roof
Hendrix paused stepped few PAGES back
resting his shoulders against the wall, i'm
rnediately the other side of which was Janti e
and proceeded to chuckle aloud and rub hi
hands Us he admired the results of his handi
work This was too much for the Hottento
on the farther side The provocation was to-
great. and 50 was the opportunity. In hi
hand was the thick stick on which he was $
f0ud Of cutting notches. Raising it in bot
hands he brought the heavy knob down witt
all his strength upon the one eyed villain
unprotected skull 1t was thick skull, bu
the knob prevailed against it and fractured it
and down went the eStimable witch doctor a
though he were dead.
Next. taking leaf out of his fallen enemy
book, Jantje slipped over the wall and, seiz
ing the senseless man, dragged him by on
arm into the kitchen and rolled him under tn
table to keep company with the dead dog
Their filled with fearful JOY, he slipped out
shutting and locking the door behind him
and crept round to a point of vantage In I
little plantation seventy or eighty yards u
the right of the house, whence he could watcl
the confiagratiOn that he knew must eusue
for the fire had taken instant and irremedi
able hold, and also see what the Beers wer'
doing.
Ten minutes or so afterward that amiabl'
character Hendrix partially regained hi
senses to find himself surrounded by sea o
fire, i'll which he persisted miserably not hav
ing power to move and his feeble cries bein.
totally swallowed up and lost in the fierc
roaring OF the flames even had there beel
anybody there to hear them. And that wa
the very appropriate end of Hendrix and tn
magic of Hendrix
Down by the flagstaff the old man lay il
his fit. with Bessie tending him and posse o
Beers standing round, smoking and laughing
or lounglng about with an air Of lordl,
superiority well worthy OF victors In posses
sion.
will none of you help NE to take him t
the houseF' she cried. Surely you have il
treated all old man enough
Nobody stirred, not even Frank Muller
vino was gazing at her tear stained face witt
fierce smile playing round the corners Of hi
clean cut mouth, which his beard wa
trimmed to leave clear.
1t will pass, Miss Bessie, he said; 1t vii
pass. have often seen such fits. They com
from too much excitement, or too niue
drink
Suddenly he broke off with an exclama
tion, and pointed to the house, from the roc
of which pale curls OF blue smoke were rising
Who has fired the houseN he shouted
''By lIcavenl Will shoot the man
The Beers started round and stared i
astonshnIent, and us they did so tine tinde
like roof burst into broad sheet of fan
that grew and gathered breadth and heigl
with an almost marvellous rapidity. Ju
then, too, light breeze spraug up from ov'